Monsoon

In this blog post, I cover Monsoon by Cafe Lota, a contemporary Indian restaurant in Aerocity Delhi, which is inspired by the season of joy. What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about the monsoon? A long spell of rain and with it a fresh breeze of air? Just like monsoon provides a welcome respite from the scorching summer heat, Monsoon by Cafe Lota tries to capture that same feeling of joy and elation through the creative use of locally sourced ingredients to produce a unique fusion of Indian flavors. Brought by the same ol' team that gave us the Roots - Cafe In The Park (2010), Cafe Lota (2013), and Triveni Terrace Cafe (2015), Monsoon is a continuation of the Melting Pot Food Company's exploration of India's abundant cuisines and indigenous ingredients. The brainchild of entrepreneurs, Rajesh Ojha, Ashish Arora, and Iona Joshua Sinha, Monsoon is not your run-of-the-mill dining option. The credit for curating an exemplary Modern Indian menu by reinterpreting local ingredients goes to the very talented chef extraordinaire Udit Maheshwari who I had the pleasure of meeting at Monsoon. Udit is an alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu London and he specializes in French cuisine. What I found particularly interesting about Udit is that his menu is an experimental take on Indian food, prepared with precision from carefully chosen, local ingredients. From Prawn Pepper Stir Fry which uses black and green peppercorns, curry leaves, and caramelized onions to Goat Rib Broth which uses Kashmiri Haak and crispy Lotus Stem, every dish is a piece of art - unique, flavorful, aesthetically plated, and most importantly, light on the palate, bringing to the fore Udit's non-conformist Indian style of cooking. You'll love the Tamarind Fish, a dish that has Tilapia fish coated in a tamarind and oyster glaze served on tempered spinach with a moilee sauce. The subtle use of tempered chana dal (gram lentil), lal mirch (red chili), coconut milk, and turmeric provides the perfect desi flavors this dish needs. Room for more? Try the Choriz Pulao. Organic quinoa cooked with Goan chorizo sausage made of pork, roasted bell peppers, and Persian Zereshk berries. Served with a sunny side up egg and spicy, gluten-free tomato ketchup. End your gastronomical journey at Monsoon on a sweet note with the Chocolate Torte. A cold-set dessert made of organic dark chocolate studded with mango leather (aam papad) and served with a raw mango coulis on a crispy pearl millet base (bajra cookie). Udit's creativity with food is not just outstanding, his take on the Modern Indian cuisine checks all boxes as far as taste and aesthetics are concerned. His work inside the kitchen is equally complemented by Mixologist's Magandeep Singh artistry behind the bar. Magandeep does a remarkable job of churning out one spectacular drink after the other, in the process, enhancing the level of your overall dining experience. Don't leave Monsoon before trying out the Mango and Green Chili Sangria. Made with Borsao white wine, shaken with mangoes, jaggery syrup, green chilies, and mint. Another recommendation is the Asafetida Sour, made with Asafetida, Orange, Pineapple, Popcorn, and Yuzu (Japanese citrus lemon). The dimly lit ambiance of Monsoon will be soothing to your eyes and senses. Spanning across 1200 square feet, the restaurant offers 45 covers, perfect to host your loved ones for an extremely personalized dining experience. With Monsoon, it surely feels like the age of Indian food has arrived.